House Panel Drops Toxic Waste Bill Lawmakers Will Discuss Similar Plan Next Week

June 21, 1985|By United Press International

WASHINGTON — A House panel revolted Thursday against a $10.1 billion Superfund bill offered by its Democratic chairman and embraced a ''bipartisan'' toxic waste cleanup plan backers said had a better chance of becoming law.

By a 13 to 5 vote, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee refused to consider a proposal offered by its chairman, Rep. James Florio, D-N.J., because some congressmen felt Florio had brushed aside their concerns about the bill.

The subcommittee then voted 13 to 5 to consider an alternative proposal put forward by Rep. Dennis Eckart, D-Ohio, that also called for a five-year, $10 billion Superfund but does not include some controversial provisions in Florio's bill.

Florio abruptly adjourned the committee before Eckart's bill could be debated, but said he had no interest in blocking the measure and might bring it up as early as next week.

Proponents of Eckart's bill -- both Republicans and Democrats -- said it was more workable than Florio's and had broader appeal, making it more likely Congress could act to extend the Superfund program, which expires Sept. 30, and that President Reagan would sign the measure.

However, Florio and environmental groups contended Eckart's bill would weaken the program and slow the pace of cleanup at the nation's thousands of abandoned toxic waste dumps.

Eckart said Florio had refused to compromise on some controversial provisions of his bill, such as giving citizens the right to sue over toxic contamination and setting strict cleanup schedules for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the full Energy and Commerce Committee, voted for Eckart's proposal, as did Rep. James Broyhill of North Carolina, ranking Republican on the Energy and Commerce committee.

Eckart said Florio had been too ambitious in trying to dictate how many cleanups would be performed each year. Eckart said such requirements could result in poorly planned and hasty efforts.

Republican support for his proposal, Eckart said, would persuade Reagan to agree to a $10 billion cleanup program, rather than the roughly $5 billion plan the administration has advocated.

Among other provisions, Eckart's bill would set up a new settlement procedure to induce polluters to voluntarily finance cleanups, require cleanup of toxic dumps at federal facilities, and set up a new program to address leaking underground gasoline storage tanks.

Florio attacked Eckart's proposal as a vehicle for the administration and chemical industry interests to weaken the Superfund program.

''What they are doing is giving more discretion to the administration,'' Florio said.